HISTORY OF MANCHESTER CITY F.C by BOY SKILLZ

Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton), they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894. The club has played at the City of Manchester Stadium since 2003, having played at Maine Road from 1923. The club's most successful period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they won the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. After losing the 1981 FA Cup Final, the club went through a period of decline, culminating in relegation to the third tier of English football for the only time in their history in 1998. Having regained Premier League status, the club was purchased in 2008 by Abu Dhabi United Group and became one of the wealthiest in the world. In 2011, Manchester City qualified for the Champions League and won the FA Cup. In 2012, the club won the Premier League, their first league title for forty-four years. History Main article: History of Manchester City F.C. St. Marks (Gorton) in 1884 – the reason for the Maltese cross is unknown to this day City gained their first honours by winning the Second Division in 1899; with it came promotion to the highest level in English football, the First Division. They went on to claim their first major honour on 23 April 1904, beating Bolton Wanderers 1–0 at Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup; City narrowly missed out on a League and Cup double that season after finishing runners-up in the League but City became the first club in Manchester to win a major honour. In the seasons following the FA Cup triumph, the club was dogged by allegations of financial irregularities, culminating in the suspension of seventeen players in 1906, including captain Billy Meredith, who subsequently moved across town to Manchester United. A fire at Hyde Road destroyed the main stand in 1920, and in 1923 the club moved to their new purpose-built stadium at Maine Road in Moss Side. The Manchester City team which won the FA Cup in 1904 In the 1930s, Manchester City reached two consecutive FA Cup finals, losing to Everton in 1933, before claiming the Cup by beating Portsmouth in 1934. During the 1934 cup run, Manchester City broke the record for the highest home attendance of any club in English football history, as 84,569 fans packed Maine Road for a sixth round FA Cup tie against Stoke City in 1934 – a record which still stands to this day. The club won the First Division title for the first time in 1937, but were relegated the following season, despite scoring more goals than any other team in the division. Twenty years later, a City team inspired by a tactical system known as the Revie Plan reached consecutive FA Cup finals again, in 1955 and 1956; just as in the 1930s, they lost the first one, to Newcastle United, and won the second. The 1956 final, in which Manchester City beat Birmingham City 3–1, is one of the most famous finals of all-time, and is remembered for City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann continuing to play on after unknowingly breaking his neck. Malcolm Allison holds the League Cup trophy aloft after victory in 1970 during City's most successful era After relegation to the Second Division in 1963, the future looked bleak with a record low home attendance of 8,015 against Swindon Town in January 1965. In the summer of 1965, the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison was appointed. In the first season under Mercer, City won the Second Division title and made important signings in Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell. Two seasons later, in 1967–68, Manchester City claimed the League Championship for the second time, clinching the title on the final day of the season with a 4–3 win at Newcastle United and beating their close neighbours Manchester United into second place. Further trophies followed: City won the FA Cup in 1969, before achieving European success by winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970, beating Górnik Zabrze 2–1 in Vienna. City also won the League Cup that season, becoming the second English team to win a European trophy and a domestic trophy in the same season. The club continued to challenge for honours throughout the 1970s, finishing one point behind the league champions on two occasions and reaching the final of the 1974 League Cup. One of the matches from this period that is most fondly remembered by supporters of Manchester City is the final match of the 1973–74 season against arch-rivals Manchester United, who needed to win to have any hope of avoiding relegation. Former United player Denis Law scored with a backheel to give City a 1–0 win at Old Trafford and confirm the relegation of their rivals. The final trophy of the club's most successful period was won in 1976, when Newcastle United were beaten 2–1 in the League Cup final. A long period of decline followed the success of the 1960s and 1970s. Malcolm Allison rejoined the club to become manager for the second time in 1979, but squandered large sums of money on unsuccessful signings, such as Steve Daley. A succession of managers then followed – seven in the 1980s alone. Under John Bond, City reached the 1981 FA Cup final but lost in a replay to Tottenham Hotspur. The club were twice relegated from the top flight in the 1980s (in 1983 and 1987), but returned to the top flight again in 1989 and finished fifth in 1991 and 1992 under the management of Peter Reid. However, this was only a temporary respite, and following Reid's departure Manchester City's fortunes continued to fade. City were founders of the Premier League upon its creation in 1992, but after finishing ninth in its first season they endured three seasons of struggle before being relegated in 1996. After two seasons in Division One, City fell to the lowest point in their history, becoming the first ever European trophy winners to be relegated to English football's third tier. After relegation, the club underwent off-the-field upheaval, with new chairman David Bernstein introducing greater fiscal discipline. City were promoted at the first attempt, achieved in dramatic fashion in a play-off against Gillingham. A second successive promotion saw City return to the top division, but this proved to have been a step too far for the recovering club, and in 2001 City were relegated once more. Kevin Keegan arrived as the new manager in the close season, bringing an immediate return to the top division as the club won the 2001–02 Division One championship, breaking club records for the number of points gained and goals scored in a season in the process. The 2002–03 season was the last at Maine Road, and included a 3–1 derby victory over rivals Manchester United, ending a run of 13 years without a derby win. City also qualified for European competition for the first time in 25 years. In the 2003 close season the club moved to the new City of Manchester Stadium. The first four seasons at the stadium all resulted in mid-table finishes. Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson became the club's first manager from overseas when appointed in 2007. After a bright start performances faded in the second half of the season, and Eriksson was sacked in June 2008. Eriksson was replaced by Mark Hughes two days later on 4 June 2008. By 2008, the club was in a financially precarious position. Thaksin Shinawatra had taken control of the club a year before, but his political travails saw his assets frozen. Then, in August 2008, the club was purchased by Abu Dhabi United Group. The takeover was immediately followed by a flurry of bids for high profile players; the club broke the British transfer record by signing Brazilian international Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5 million. City finished tenth, and also reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. During the summer of 2009, the club took transfer spending to an unprecedented level, with an outlay of over £100 million on players Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz, Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tévez and Joleon Lescott. In December 2009, Mark Hughes was replaced as manager by Roberto Mancini. City finished the season in fifth position in the Premier League, narrowly missing out on a place in the Champions League, and competed in the UEFA Europa League in season 2010–11. Prior to the start of the 2010–11 season, the club again invested heavily in new playing staff, and on-field performance continued to improve. City reached the 2011 FA Cup Final, their first major final in over thirty years, defeating derby rivals Manchester United in the semi-final. They defeated Stoke City 1–0 in the final, securing their fifth FA Cup, the club's first major trophy since winning the 1976 League Cup. In the same week, the club qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time with a 1–0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur. On the last day of the 2010–11 season, City passed Arsenal for third place in the Premier League, thereby securing qualification directly into the Champions League group stage. For the 2011–12 season, City made a number of high profile signings, including Gaël Clichy, Sergio Agüero and Samir Nasri. City started the season well, and were five points clear at the top of the Premier League after a 6–1 victory at Manchester United in October. Poor form in the middle of the season saw City out of the Champions League and the Europa League, and they fell eight points behind United for the league lead with six matches remaining. City then forged a late-season charage to regain the Premiership lead with two matches to go after defeating United 1–0 at Etihad Stadium in what Alex Ferguson called the most important Manchester derby of his managerial career. Victory in the penultimate game away to Newcastle United left City needing a home win against relegation candidates Queens Park Rangers. In that game, after taking a first-half lead, City were losing 2–1 after 90 minutes but scored twice in added time to win the game and the Premier League title. In the summer 2012 transfer window, City only made one pre-season signing, Jack Rodwell from Everton, but on deadline day they signed five players, Javi García, Scott Sinclair, Maicon, Matija Nastasic and Richard Wright. Club badge and colours Main article: Manchester City F.C. strip Manchester City's home colours are sky blue and white. Traditional away kit colours have been either maroon or (from the 1960s) red and black; however, in recent years several different colours have been used. The origins of the club's home colours are unclear, but there is evidence that the club has worn blue since 1892 or earlier. A booklet entitled Famous Football Clubs – Manchester City published in the 1940s indicates that West Gorton (St. Marks) originally played in scarlet and black, and reports dating from 1884 describe the team wearing black jerseys bearing a white cross, showing the club's origins as a church side. The red and black away colours come from former assistant manager Malcolm Allison, who believed that adopting the colours of AC Milan would inspire City to glory. Allison's theory worked, with City winning the 1969 FA Cup Final, 1970 League Cup Final and the 1970 European Cup Winners' Cup Final in red and black stripes as opposed to the club's home kit of sky blue. The current club badge was adopted in 1997 as a result of the previous badge being ineligible for registration as a trademark. The badge is based on the arms of the city of Manchester, and consists of a shield in front of a golden eagle. The eagle is an old heraldic symbol of the city of Manchester; a golden eagle was added to the city's badge in 1958 (but has since been removed), representing the growing aviation industry. The shield features a ship on its upper half representing the Manchester Ship Canal, and three diagonal stripes in the lower half symbolise the city's three rivers – the Irwell, the Irk and the Medlock. The bottom of the badge bears the motto Superbia in Proelio, which translates as Pride in Battle in Latin. Above the eagle and shield are three stars, which are purely decorative. City have previously worn two other badges on their shirts. The first, introduced in 1970, was based on designs which had been used on official club documentation since the mid-1960s. It consisted of a circular badge which used the same shield as the current badge, inside a circle bearing the name of the club. In 1972, this was replaced by a variation which replaced the lower half of the shield with the red rose of Lancashire. On occasions when Manchester City plays in a major cup final, the usual badge has not been used; instead shirts bearing a badge of the arms of the City of Manchester are used, as a symbol of pride in representing the city of Manchester at a major event. This practice originates from a time when the players' shirts did not normally bear a badge of any kind, but has continued throughout the history of the club. For the 2011 FA Cup Final, City used the usual badge with a special legend, but the Manchester coat of arms was included as a small monochrome logo in the numbers on the back of players' shirts. Players As of 2 September. First team squad See also: Manchester City F.C. Reserves and Academy and 2012–13 Manchester City F.C. season Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Position Player 1 GK Joe Hart 2 DF Micah Richards 3 DF Maicon 4 DF Vincent Kompany (captain) 5 DF Pablo Zabaleta 6 DF Joleon Lescott 7 MF James Milner 8 MF Samir Nasri 10 FW Edin Džeko 11 MF Scott Sinclair 13 DF Aleksandar Kolarov 14 MF Javi García 16 FW Sergio Agüero 17 MF Jack Rodwell No. Position Player 18 MF Gareth Barry 21 MF David Silva 22 DF Gaël Clichy 28 DF Kolo Touré 29 GK Richard Wright 30 GK Costel Pantilimon 32 FW Carlos Tévez 33 DF Matija Nastasić 42 MF Yaya Touré 43 FW Alex Nimely 45 FW Mario Balotelli 46 MF Michael Johnson 60 FW John Guidetti 62 MF Abdul Razak Out on loan Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Position Player 19 DF Wayne Bridge (at Brighton & Hove Albion the end of the season) 20 FW Roque Santa Cruz (at Málaga until the end of the season) No. Position Player 38 DF Dedryck Boyata (at FC Twente until the end of the season) 61 DF Jérémy Hélan (at Sheffield Wednesday until 22 December 2012) Current reserve players with first-team appearances Manchester City's reserve team, which the club terms the Elite Development Squad (EDS), plays in the Barclays Under 21 Premier League, NextGen Series and a number of local cup competitions. The following EDS players have made first-team appearances. Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Position Player 36 MF Denis Suárez 44 DF Karim Rekik 48 DF Ryan McGivern 49 FW Luca Scapuzzi No. Position Player} 50 MF Abdisalam Ibrahim 57 DF Reece Wabara 61 DF Jérémy Hélan Retired numbers Main article: Retired numbers in association football 23 Marc-Vivien Foé, Midfielder (2002–03) – posthumous honour. Since 2003, Manchester City have not issued the squad number 23. It was retired in memory of Marc-Vivien Foé, who was on loan to the club from Lyon at the time of his death on the field of play whilst playing for Cameroon in the 2003 Confederations Cup. Halls of Fame See also: List of Manchester City F.C. players Manchester City Hall of Fame The following former Manchester City players and managers are inductees in the Manchester City F.C. Hall of Fame, and are listed according to the year of their induction: Inductees in MCFC Hall of Fame Year of induction Player Position Role at MCFC Years in role at MCFC Notes Manchester City players who were the inaugural inductees in January 2004 2004 Billy Meredith FW (outside right) player 1894–1906, 1921–1924 also see NFM Hall of Fame Tommy Johnson FW (centre forward) & (inside left) player 1919–1930 Eric Brook FW (outside left) player 1928–1939 Frank Swift GK player 1933–1949 also see NFM Hall of Fame Peter Doherty FW (inside left) player 1936–1945 also see NFM Hall of Fame Roy Clarke FW (outside left) player 1947–1958 Lifetime achievement award Bert Trautmann, OBE GK player 1949–1964 also see NFM Hall of Fame Roy Paul MF (half back) player 1950–1957 Mike Summerbee FW / MF (outside right) player 1965–1975 Tony Book DF (right back) player manager 1966–1974 1973, 1974–1979, 1980, 1989, 1993 Colin Bell, MBE MF player 1966–1979 also see NFM Hall of Fame Francis Lee FW player chairman 1967–1974 1994–1998 also see NFM Hall of Fame Joe Corrigan GK player 1967–1983 Paul Lake FW / MF / DF player 1987–1996 Niall Quinn, (Honorary) MBE FW player 1990–1996 also see NFM Hall of Fame Manchester City players and teams inducted since 2004 2005 Sam Cowan DF (centre half) player manager 1924–1935 1946–1947 Ken Barnes MF (wing half) player 1950–1961 Lifetime achievement award Alan Oakes MF player 1958–1976 Joe Mercer, OBE MF (left half) manager 1965–1971 Outstanding achievement award also see NFM Hall of Fame Malcolm Allison DF (centre half) assistant mgr. manager 1965–1971 1971–1973, 1979–1980 Outstanding achievement award also see NFM Hall of Fame 2006 Ernie Toseland FW (outside right) player 1928–1938 Johnny Hart FW (inside forward) player manager 1947–1960 1973 Lifetime achievement award Manchester City 1956 0000FA Cup-winning team not applicable en masse induction Mike Doyle DF / MF player 1965–1978 Shaun Goater FW player 1998–2003 Cult hero award 2008 Fred Tilson FW (centre forward) player 1928–1939 Neil Young FW (outside left) & (inside left) player 1961–1972 Alex Williams, MBE GK player 1980–1986 Lifetime achievement award 2009 Uwe Rösler FW player 1994–1998 Last updated: 31 March 2011 Source: list of MCFC Hall of Fame inductees National Football Museum Hall of Fame The following former Manchester City players and managers are inductees in the English Football Hall of Fame (a.k.a. the National Football Museum Hall of Fame) and are listed according to the year of their induction within the various categories: Inductees in NFM Hall of Fame Year of induction Player Position Role at MCFC Years in role at MCFC Players with Manchester City backgrounds inducted to date 2002 Peter Doherty FW (inside left) player 1936–1945 Denis Law FW player 1960–1961, 1973–1974 Kevin Keegan, OBE FW / MF manager 2001–2005 2003 Peter Schmeichel, MBE GK player 2002–2003 Alan Ball, MBE MF manager 1995–1996 2005 Bert Trautmann, OBE GK player 1949–1964 Colin Bell, MBE MF player 1966–1979 2007 Billy Meredith FW (outside right) player 1894–1906, 1921–1924 Mark Hughes FW manager 2008–2009 2009 Frank Swift GK player 1933–1949 2010 Francis Lee FW player 1967–1974 Managers with Manchester City backgrounds inducted to date 2002 Sir Matt Busby, CBE, KCSG FW (inside right) / MF (right half) player 1928–1936 2004 Don Revie, OBE FW (centre forward) player 1951–1956 2005 Howard Kendall MF manager 1989–1990 2009 Joe Mercer, OBE MF (left half) manager 1965–1971 Malcolm Allison DF (centre half) assistant mgr. manager 1965–1971 1971–1973, 1979–1980 Manchester City "Football Foundation Community Champions" inducted to date 2007 Niall Quinn, (Honorary) MBE FW player 1990–1996 Manchester City teams inducted to date 2009 Manchester City 1967–70 not applicable Last updated: 30 March 2011 Source: list of NFM Hall of Fame inductees Scottish Football Museum Hall of Fame The following former Manchester City players and managers are inductees in the Scottish Football Hall of Fame (a.k.a. the Scottish Football Museum Hall of Fame) and are listed according to the year of their induction within the various categories: Inductees in SFM Hall of Fame Year of induction Player Position Role at MCFC Years in role at MCFC Players with Manchester City backgrounds inducted to date 2004 Denis Law FW player 1960–1961, 1973–1974 Billy McNeill, MBE DF manager 1983–1986 2010 Bobby Johnstone FW (inside right) player 1955–1959 Managers with Manchester City backgrounds inducted to date 2004 Matt Busby, CBE, KCSG FW (inside right) / MF (right half) player 1928–1936 Last updated: 30 March 2011 Source: list of SFM Hall of Fame inductees Welsh Sports Hall of Fame The following former Manchester City players are inductees in the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and are listed according to the year of their induction: Inductees in SFM Hall of Fame Year of induction Player Position Role at MCFC Years in role at MCFC Players with Manchester City backgrounds inducted to date 1990 Billy Meredith DF player 1894–1906 1999 Horace Blew DF player 1906 Hierarchy Current Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini with Assistant manager Brian Kidd Position Name Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak CEO Ferran Soriano COO Tom Glick Director Marty Edelman Director Simon Pearce Director of Football Txiki Begiristain Football administration officer John Williams Managing Director of the City Football Academy Brian Marwood Football Development Executive Patrick Vieira Manager Roberto Mancini Assistant Manager Brian Kidd First Team coach David Platt First Team coach Fausto Salsano Goalkeeping coach Massimo Battara Fitness coach Ivan Carminati International Academy Director Jim Cassell Under-21 Elite Development Manager Attilio Lombardo Head of Platt Lane Academy Mark Allen Academy Team Manager Scott Sellars Notable managers Main article: List of Manchester City F.C. managers The following managers have all won at least one major trophy (excluding Community Shields) with Manchester City (totals include competitive matches only): Table correct as of 13 May 2012 Name From To Games Wins Draws Loss Win % Honours Tom Maley 1902 1906 7002150000000000000150 700189000000000000089 700122000000000000022 700139000000000000039 700159330000000000059.33 1904 FA Cup Wilfried Wild 1932 1946 7002352000000000000352 7002158000000000000158 700171000000000000071 7002123000000000000123 700144890000000000044.89 1934 FA Cup 1936–37 First Division 1937 Charity Shield Les McDowall 1950 1963 7002592000000000000592 7002220000000000000220 7002127000000000000127 7002245000000000000245 700137160999999999937.16 1956 FA Cup Joe Mercer 1965 1971 7002340000000000000340 7002149000000000000149 700194000000000000094 700197000000000000097 700143820000000000043.82 1965–66 Second Division 1967–68 First Division 1968 Charity Shield 1969 FA Cup 1970 European Cup Winners' Cup 1970 League Cup Tony Book 1973 1980 7002269000000000000269 7002114000000000000114 700175000000000000075 700180000000000000080 700142380000000000042.38 1976 League Cup Roberto Mancini 2009 Present 7002142000000000000142 700186000000000000086 700126000000000000026 700130000000000000030 700160560000000000060.56 2011 FA Cup 2011–12 Premier League 2012 FA Community Shield Supporters Main article: Manchester City F.C. supporters Manchester City has a large fanbase in relation to its comparative lack of success on the pitch. Since moving to the City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester City's average attendances have been in the top six in England, usually in excess of 40,000. Even in the late 1990s, when the club were relegated twice in three seasons and playing in the third tier of English football (then Division Two, now Football League One), home attendances were in the region of 30,000, compared to an average for the division of fewer than 8,000. Research carried out by Manchester City in 2005 estimates a fanbase of 886,000 in the United Kingdom and a total in excess of 2 million worldwide. Manchester City's officially recognised supporters club is the Manchester City FC Supporters Club (1949), formed from a merger of two existing organisations in 2010: the Official Supporters Club (OSC) and the Centenary Supporters Association (CSA). There have been several fanzines published by supporters; the longest running is King of the Kippax and it is the only one still published. The City fans' song of choice is a rendition of "Blue Moon", which despite its melancholic theme is belted out with gusto as though it were a heroic anthem. City supporters tend to believe that unpredictability is an inherent trait of their team, and label unexpected results "typical City". Events that fans regard as "typical City" include City's being the only reigning English champions ever to be relegated (in 1938), the only team to score and concede over 100 goals in the same season (1957–58), or the more recent example that City were the only team to beat Chelsea in the 2004–05 Premier League, yet in the same season City were knocked out of the FA Cup by Oldham Athletic, a team two divisions lower. Manchester City's biggest rivalry is with neighbours Manchester United, against whom they contest the Manchester derby. Before the Second World War, when travel to away games was rare, many Mancunian football fans regularly watched both teams even if considering themselves "supporters" of only one. This practice continued into the early 1960s but as travel became easier, and the cost of entry to matches rose, watching both teams became unusual and the rivalry intensified. A common stereotype is that City fans come from Manchester proper, while United fans come from elsewhere. A 2002 report by a researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University found that while it was true that a higher proportion of City season ticket holders came from Manchester postcode areas (40% compared to United's 29%), there were more United season ticket holders, the lower percentage being due to United's higher overall number of season ticket holders (27,667 compared to City's 16,481); not highlighted in the report was that within the City of Manchester itself, there were more City season ticket holders (approximately 4 for every 3 United). The report noted that since the compiling of data in 2001, the number of both City and United season ticket holders had risen; expansion of United's ground and City's move to the City of Manchester Stadium have caused season ticket sales to increase further. In the late 1980s, City fans started a craze of bringing inflatable objects to matches, primarily oversized bananas. One disputed explanation for the craze is that in a match against West Bromwich Albion chants from fans calling for the introduction of Imre Varadi as a substitute mutated into "Imre Banana". Terraces packed with inflatable-waving supporters became a frequent sight in the 1988–89 season as the craze spread to other clubs (inflatable fish were seen at Grimsby Town), with the phenomenon reaching a peak at City's match at Stoke City on 26 December 1988, a match declared by fanzines as a fancy dress party. In August 2006, the club became the first to be officially recognised as a "gay-friendly" employer by campaign group Stonewall (UK). In 2010, City supporters adopted an exuberant dance, dubbed The Poznań, from fans of Polish club Lech Poznań. Ownership and finances Main article: Manchester City F.C. ownership and finances The holding company of Manchester City F.C., Manchester City Limited, is a private limited company, with approximately 54 million shares in issue. The club has been in private hands since 2007, when the major shareholders agreed to sell their holdings to UK Sports Investments Limited (UKSIL), a company controlled by former Thailand prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. UKSIL then made a formal offer to buy the shares held by several thousand small shareholders. Prior to the Thaksin takeover, the club was listed on the specialist independent equity market PLUS (formerly OFEX), where it had been listed since 1995. On 6 July 2007, having acquired 75% of the shares, Thaksin de-listed the club and re-registered it as a private company. By August UKSIL had acquired over 90% of the shares, and exercised its rights under the Companies Act to "squeeze out" the remaining shareholders, and acquire the entire shareholding. Thaksin Shinawatra became chairman of the club and two of Thaksin's children, Pintongta and Panthongtae also became directors. Former chairman John Wardle stayed on the board for a year, but resigned in July 2008 following Nike executive Garry Cook's appointment as executive chairman in May. The club made a pre-tax loss of £11m in the year ending 31 May 2007, the final year for which accounts were published as a public company. Thaksin's purchase prompted a period of transfer spending at the club, spending in around £30 million, whereas over the previous few seasons net spending had been among the lowest in the division. A year later, this investment was itself dwarfed by larger sums. On 1 September 2008, Abu Dhabi-based Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development Limited completed a takeover of Manchester City. The deal, worth a reported £200 million, was announced on the morning of 1 September. It sparked various transfer "deadline-day" rumours and bids such as the club's attempt to gazump Manchester United's protracted bid to sign Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in excess of £30 million. Minutes before the transfer window closed, the club signed Robinho from Real Madrid for a British record transfer fee of £32.5 million. The wealth of the new owners meant that in the summer of 2009, the club was able to finance the purchase of several experienced international players prior to the new season, spending more than any other club in the Premier League. Stadium Main article: City of Manchester stadium See also: Hyde Road and Maine Road Manchester City's stadium is the City of Manchester Stadium, also known as Eastlands and the Etihad Stadium since July 2011 because of sponsorship commitments. The stadium is situated in East Manchester and is part of a 200-year operating lease from Manchester City Council after the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The stadium has been City's home since the end of the 2002–03 season, when the club moved from Maine Road. Before moving to the stadium, Manchester City spent in excess of £30 million to convert it to football use. The field of play was lowered by several metres, adding an additional tier of seating around the entire pitch. A new North Stand was also built. The inaugural match at the new stadium was a 2–1 win over FC Barcelona in a friendly match. The current capacity as of summer 2011 stands at 47,726 after various stadium renovations under the new owners since 2008. Manchester City have used several grounds during their history: after playing home matches at five different stadia between 1880 and 1887, the club settled at Hyde Road, its home for 36 years. After a fire destroyed the Main Stand in 1920, the club started to seek a new site and moved to the 84-000 capacity Maine Road three years later. Maine Road, nicknamed the "Wembley of the North" by its designers, hosted the largest-ever crowd at an English club ground when 84,569 attended an FA Cup tie against Stoke City on 3 March 1934. Though Maine Road was redeveloped several times over its 80-year lifespan, by 1995 its capacity was restricted to 32,000, prompting the search for a new ground which culminated in the move to the City of Manchester Stadium in 2003. A panorama of the City of Manchester Stadium Honours Domestic First Division/Premier League Winners (3): 1936–37, 1967–68, 2011–12 Runners-up (3): 1903–04, 1920–21, 1976–77 Second Division/First Division Winners (7): (record): 1898–99, 1902–03, 1909–10, 1927–28, 1946–47, 1965–66, 2001–02 Runners-up (4): 1895–96, 1950–51, 1988–89, 1999–2000 Third Division Play-off Winners: 1998–99 Cups FA Cup Winners (5): 1904, 1934, 1956, 1969, 2011 Runners-up (4): 1926, 1933, 1955, 1981 Football League Cup Winners (2): 1970, 1976 Runners-up (1): 1974 FA Community Shield Winners (4): 1937, 1968, 1972, 2012 Runners-up (5): 1934, 1956, 1969, 1973, 2011 Full Members Cup Runners-up (1): 1986 European UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Winners (1): 1970 Club records Main article: List of Manchester City F.C. records and statistics Record League victory – 11–3 v. Lincoln City (23 March 1895, most goals scored) 10–0 v. Darwen (18 February 1899, widest margin of victory) Record FA Cup victory – 12–0 v. Liverpool Stanley (4 October 1890) Record League defeat – 0–8 v. Burton Wanderers (26 December 1894), 0–8 v. Wolverhampton Wanderers (23 December 1933), 1–9 v. Everton (3 September 1906), 2–10 v. Small Heath (17 March 1893) Record FA Cup defeat – 0–6 v. Preston North End (30 January 1897), 2–8 v. Bradford Park Avenue (30 January 1946) Highest home attendance – 84,569 v. Stoke City (3 March 1934) (remains the record home attendance in English football) Most League appearances – 561 + 3 sub, Alan Oakes 1958–76 Most appearances overall – 676 + 4 sub, Alan Oakes 1958–76 Most goals scored overall – 177, Eric Brook 1928–40 Most goals scored in a season – 38, Tommy Johnson 1928–29 Record transfer fee paid – £35 million to Atlético Madrid for Sergio Agüero, July 2011 Record transfer fee received – £21 million from Chelsea for Shaun Wright-Phillips, July 2005 See also Manchester City L.F.C. References Bibliography Buckley, Andy; Burgess, Richard (2000). Blue Moon Rising: The Fall and Rise of Manchester City. Bury: Milo. ISBN 0-9530847-4-4. Gardner, Peter (1970). The Manchester City Football Book No. 2. London: Stanley Paul. ISBN 0-09-103280-6. Inglis, Simon (1987). The Football Grounds of Great Britain (2nd ed.). London: Collins Willow. ISBN 0-00-218249-1. James, Gary (2002). Manchester: The Greatest City. Polar Publishing. ISBN 1-899538-09-7. James, Gary (2005). The Official Manchester City Hall of Fame. Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-61282-1. James, Gary (2006). Manchester City – The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon. ISBN 1-85983-512-0. James, Gary (2008). Manchester – A Football History. Halifax: James Ward. ISBN 978-0-9558127-0-5. Penney, Ian (2008). Manchester City: The Mercer-Allison Years. Derby: Breedon. ISBN 978-1-85983-608-8. Rowlands, Alan (2005). Trautmann: The Biography. Derby: Breedon. ISBN 1-85983-491-4. Tossell, David (2008). Big Mal: The High Life and Hard Times of Malcolm Allison, Football Legend. Edinburgh: Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-478-8. Wallace, David (2007). Century City – Manchester City Football Club 1957/58. Leigh: King of the Kippax. ISBN 978-0-9557056-0-1. Ward, Andrew (1984). The Manchester City Story. Derby: Breedon. ISBN 0-907969-05-4. Footnotes ^ "Part 8: Clubs", UEFA Champions League Statistics Handbook, UEFA, 13 September 2011, p. 10, retrieved 15 May 2012 ^ "Club History – The Club – Manchester City FC". mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2010. ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p32 ^ James, Manchester:The Greatest City, pp 59–65. ^ Bevan, Chris (11 May 2003). "Maine Road through the ages". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 September 2011. ^ Ward, The Manchester City Story, pp. 31–33 ^ James, Gary (22 April 2011). "FA Cup special: Thrills, spills and a cast of thousands at Maine Road". menmedia.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2011. ^ "England 1937/38". league table from RSSSF. Retrieved 29 December 2005. ^ Rowlands, Trautmann – The Biography, pp. 178–184 ^ Ward, The Manchester City Story, p. 57 ^ Penney, Manchester City – The Mercer-Allison Years, pp. 27–36 ^ Penney, Manchester City – The Mercer-Allison Years, pp. 37–56 ^ Gardner, The Manchester City Football Book No. 2, pp. 13–22 ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, pp. 410–420 ^ Other results meant United would have been relegated even if they had won or drawn, but neither team knew this at the time. ^ Ward, The Manchester City Story, p. 70 ^ Tossell, Big Mal, Chapter 18 ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 68 ^ Buckley, Andy; Burgess, Richard (2000). Blue Moon Rising: The Fall and Rise of Manchester City. Bury: Milo. ISBN 0-9530847-4-4. p. 177 ^ Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 265 ^ "Goater double gives City derby win". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007. ^ "Eriksson named Man City manager". BBC Sport. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2007. ^ "Eriksson's reign at Man City ends". BBC Sport. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008. ^ "Manchester City appoint Mark Hughes". Manchester City FC. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2009. ^ Winrow, Ian (12 August 2008). "Thaksin Shinawatra's crisis ends Manchester City's European dream". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 September 2010. ^ "Man City beat Chelsea to Robinho". BBC. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2009. ^ "Lescott completes Man City move". BBC Sport. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009. ^ "Mark Hughes sacked as Man City appoint Mancini manager". BBC Sport. 19 December 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2009. ^ "Man City 1 – 0 Man Utd". BBC Sport. 16 April 2011. ^ "Man City 1 – 0 Tottenham". BBC Sport. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2011. ^ "Ferguson: Derby is title decider". ESPN Soccernet. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012. ^ "Official: Manchester City complete signing of Javi García from Benfica". goal.com. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012. ^ James, Manchester: The Greatest City pp. 14–15 ^ Turner, Georgina (23 November 2005). "Nicking the shirts off their backs". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 18 December 2006. ^ David Clayton, Everything Under the Blue Moon (Mainstream Publishing, 2002), 21 ^ "Cup final shirt to feature coat of arms". Retrieved 18 May 2011. ^ "Players". Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 22 March 2012. ^ "Man City retire number 23 shirt". BBC Sport. 27 June 2003. Retrieved 30 September 2008. ^ "Past Players". mcfc.co.uk. (Manchester City Football Club). Retrieved 23 March 2011. ^ "Starting line-up inducted into City Hall of Fame". menmedia.co.uk (Manchester Evening News). 23 January 2004. Retrieved 30 March 2011. ^ "King Ken collects plaudits". menmedia.co.uk (Manchester Evening News). 9 February 2005. Retrieved 30 March 2011. ^ "City legends honoured". menmedia.co.uk (Manchester Evening News). 22 February 2006. Retrieved 30 March 2011. ^ "Academy honoured at Hall of Fame". mcfc.co.uk. (Manchester City Football Club). 6 March 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2011. ^ "Uwe Rosler exclusive interview". mcfc.co.uk. (Manchester City Football Club). 2 December 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2011. ^ "Managers". mcfcstats.com. Retrieved 29 March 2006. ^ "Top 30 English Football Clubs by League Attendances". footballeconomy.com attendance table 2002-2005. Retrieved 30 December 2005. ^ "Average Attendances – English Football Divisions – 1994/95–2004/05". footballeconomy.com division attendance table 1995–2005. Retrieved 30 December 2005. ^ "Customer Success – Manchester City Football Club". Hewlett-Packard case study. Archived from the original on 25 November 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2007. (archive.org mirror) ^ "New era for Manchester City Supporters Club". mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2011. ^ "King of the Kippax fanzine". Retrieved 13 March 2010. ^ "FA Cup preview". ESPN Star article. Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2009. (archive.org mirror) ^ "Typical City!". Unofficial supporters homepage. Archived from the original on 11 January 2006. Retrieved 25 March 2006. ^ Wallace, Dave (2007). Century City – Manchester City Football Club 1957/58. Leigh: King of the Kippax. ISBN 978-0-9557056-0-1. page ix ^ "Do You Come From Manchester?". Manchester Metropolitan University study. Retrieved 9 January 2008. ^ "The Inflatables Craze". Manchester City Football Club Supporters' Homepage. Retrieved 30December 2005. ^ Campbell, Denis (26 August 2006). "Top club backs gay rights". Premiership side set to change footballing attitudes by introducing 'gay-friendly' policy.' Homepage (London). Retrieved 27 August 2006. ^ Sloan, Jenna (4 February 2011). "Man City fans are doing the Poznan". London: thesun.co.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2011. ^ Pitt-Brooke, Jack (20 April 2011). "Poles apart: how fans of Poznan inspired City's unlikely dance craze". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2011. ^ "Manchester City plc". PLUS Markets Group. Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2007. ^ "Thaksin completes Man City buyout". BBC Sport. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2007. ^ Taylor, Daniel (10 July 2008). "Wardle quits City". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 28 August 2008. ^ "MCFC Annual Group Accounts published". Manchester City plc. dmy. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2008. ^ "Eriksson continues Man City spending". Reuters. 2 August 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2008. ^ "Bojinov joins Man City". FIFA. Retrieved 13 January 2008. ^ Montague, James (1 September 2008). "Manchester City's new owners put national pride before profit". The Guardian (UK: Guardian News and Media Limited). Retrieved 1 April 2011. ^ "City Takeover Confirmed". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 January 2008. ^ "Robinho joins City". mcfc.co.uk. (Manchester City Football Club). 1 September 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2011. ^ "English Transfer Window Ends With Man City As Biggest Spenders". goal.com. Retrieved 2 September 2009. ^ Bailey, Chris (8 November 2006). "Why Blues must cash in on name game". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 22 April 2008. ^ James, Manchester: A Football History, p391. ^ "Man City vanquish Barca". BBC article. 10 August 2003. Retrieved 28 December 2005. ^ Inglis, The Football Grounds of Great Britain, p62 ^ "Club History". Manchester City FC. Retrieved 19 September 2009. ^ Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division; since then, it has been the FA Premier League. At the same time, the Second Division was renamed the First Division, and the Third Division was renamed the Second Division. ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 509 ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 511 ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p524 ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 155 ^ James, The Official Manchester City Hall of Fame, p. 48. Some sources state 178 goals, as Brook scored a goal in the abandoned 1939–40 season, the matches of which are generally excluded from statistical records ^ Clayton, Everything Under the Blue Moon, p. 112. ^ Edwards, Luke (28 July 2011). "Sergio Aguero completes £35 million transfer to Manchester City". Daily Telegraph (London). ^ James, Manchester City – The Complete Record, p. 521 External links Media related to Manchester City FC at Wikimedia Commons Manchester City F.C. at Wikipedia books Official website Manchester City F.C. on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results – Upcoming fixtures – Club statistics Manchester City F.C. on Facebook Manchester City at ScoreShelf

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